Empower Cherokee at Goshen Valley
Empower Cherokee Collects School Supplies for Goshen Homes siblings.
On Thursday, Jul 28, 2022, a group of adults from Empower Cherokee came to visit Goshen Valley’s office at The Mill on Etowah in Canton, Georgia.
They didn’t come empty handed either! Just in time for the start of school, they dropped off an abundance of school supplies for the foster children at Goshen Homes.
Empower Cherokee is another Canton, GA nonprofit, located off of Univeter Road.
Their mission is “to empower people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live life as they define it through employment and social connections, and the support necessary for each person to achieve their hopes and dreams.” They serve those with intellectual and developmental disabilities with love and care through employment services, community access, and residential living.
The crew generously and enthusiastically came together to provide school supplies for the siblings in foster care being cared for at Goshen Homes.
At Goshen Homes, we believe siblings in foster care shouldn’t be separated.
That’s why we recruit, train, license, and support foster parents for siblings in foster care. Goshen Homes, established in 2016, has become our largest program, currently serving 55 foster youth.
We are so grateful for our friends and fellow community members at Empower Cherokee for the effort and kindness shown as they worked to gather the supplies and drop them off at our Canton office. Oftentimes, foster kids come to us without basic items, much less backpacks, pencils, calculators, and other necessary school supplies. Thanks to their efforts, the sibling groups at Goshen Homes and the foster parents caring for them were provided with ample supplies going into the start of the fall school year.
Thank you Empower Cherokee!
Goshen 2022 Volunteers of the Year
On April 13, Goshen Valley presented 6 individuals with their Volunteer of the Year award, and also presented the first annual Goshen Educator of the Year award. The recipients of the Volunteer of the Year award were Debbie Rabjohn, Bill and Kathy DeMartino, Nancy LaChance, Sydna Lowe, and Kyla Cromer. The Goshen Educator of the Year award was presented to Don Deaton. A bit about each of their service to Goshen is outlined below.
When speaking about the volunteers who make Goshen thrive, CEO Zach Blend said that “We have the opportunity to change lives through relationships, and the relationships with those honored today are one of Goshen’s most powerful assets. We are grateful for all who sacrifice in service to our youth.”
Debbie Rabjohn is the Goshen Homes volunteer of the year. She is the president of the Cherokee County Optimist Club, and has led her club in providing Easter baskets for Goshen Homes youth for 3 years in a row. She has done much of this while going through health issues, and was unable to attend the ceremony for the same reasons. The Goshen Homes team is grateful for her service, but even more grateful for her kind heart and her selflessness while going through a difficult time in her personal life.
Bill and Kathy DeMartino are the Goshen New Beginnings volunteers of the year. Bill and Kathy connected to Goshen when becoming a Connections Homes family. They were paired with Goshen New Beginnings youth Robert, and they were able to be a significant part of his life through prom, graduation, and navigating adult life afterwards. After opening a room in their home for him and mentoring him for three years, they joined the Goshen staff in traveling to Missouri to celebrate Robert’s graduation from Basic Training. Bill commented at the ceremony how much the team traveling to the graduation meant to Robert, saying that he “had to do extra push-ups because he couldn’t stop smiling.”
Nancy LaChance is the Goshen Valley Boys Ranch volunteer of the year. Nancy first connected with Goshen in 2016 while serving through Woodstock City Church’s Be Rich campaign. That day she was tasked with organizing the clothing closet, and since then she has led a group who comes to do the same task each month. This group led by Nancy has sorted and organized all clothing donations made to Goshen for 5 years. Additionally, Nancy has used her love of hiking to connect with and mentor boys at the Ranch during her time serving.
Sydna Lowe was the Development volunteer of the year. Sydna chaired the Brasfield & Gorrie Charitable Committee, which was responsible for hosting their fall fundraiser and providing over $330,000 to support Goshen Valley. This made Brasfield & Gorrie Goshen’s largest ever single-year donor. Additionally, Sydna took her paid time off in advance of the fall fundraiser to make sure everything was organized as well as possible. When speaking about the partnership, Sydna said that "Brasfield and Gorrie takes pride in doing things with excellence. We could not line up better with any other organization."
Kyla Cromer was the Community Engagement volunteer of the year. Kyla is the Cherokee County School Board Chair, and she also serves on the Goshen Community Council. Kyla has continued to prioritize initiatives that help the school system better serve foster youth, including bringing in a Goshen staff person to lead a training to all school counselors on Trust-Based Relational Intervention. Additionally, Kyla invited 21 guests to join her for the Evening with Goshen dinner fundraiser, the most guests brought by any one Goshen supporter. Kyla remarked after receiving the award that "Respect and love are what our kids need. They come to school wondering where their next meal is coming from. They come after hearing their Mom and Dad fighting. We see the pride on their faces at graduation. Lots of people have poured into these kids to get them across that stage."
Don Deaton was recognized as Goshen’s first ever Educator of the Year. Don is the lead physical education teacher at Teasley Middle School. For many years Don headed up our Summer Academy program- the daily recreation program our boys participate in during summer break. He has continued to go above and beyond at school to learn who the Goshen youth are in his class, and to do all he can to provide them with extra support and encouragement during the school day. Don shared with the Goshen staff after receiving his award, “I want you to know we support you. We know the trauma our kids have experienced. Kids need to know they are loved. You are the footprint and the hands of God in their lives - you speak Jesus."
Together Facing The Challenge: Goshen Homes
Goshen Homes has officially been certified in Together Facing the Challenge (TFTC), officially credentialing the foster care provider with an evidence-based approach.
TFTC certification means that Goshen Homes is able to provide a proven therapeutic foster care training and coaching program. Our goal is to ensure that our foster parents are equipped to best care for the children in their homes, learning systems that make fostering less confusing, and taking care of themselves in the process. This will in turn lead to foster youth experiencing more stable placements and greater lifelong outcomes.
According to the TFTC website, the program aims “to improve the skills of foster parents and their agency staff. The model focuses specifically on the in-home intervention elements (and creating adequate skill levels to implement these strategies effectively) and on the important role of supervision and coaching in helping foster parents work effectively. We don’t ask agencies to “re-invent the wheel” — instead, the goal of TFTC is to work with agencies to enhance what they already do well by growing their knowledge & expertise with evidence-informed approaches to improve practice & outcomes for youth in care.”
Gaining this TFTC certification was an 18-month process for the Goshen Homes team, involving many trainings and a great deal of refining to programmatic elements. Goshen Valley CEO Zach Blend shared his praise of the Goshen Homes team when stating what this means for the future of Goshen.
“I am both pleased and equally proud of our Goshen Homes Staff and foster families for the dedication and commitment it has taken to complete the Together Facing the Challenge certification. To be recognized with other therapeutic foster care providers has been a goal of ours that was laid out as part of our most recent strategic plan. We’re confident the utilization of this evidenced-based model will provide the tools needed for our families to thrive in their capacity as foster parents”
To learn more about fostering with Goshen Homes, visit Goshencalley.org/homes. To learn more about Together Facing the Challenge, visit sites.duke.edu/tftc.
Goshen Homes Celebrates 10 Reunifications
Goshen Homes: keeping siblings together and reuniting families.
Goshen Homes is designed for reunification.
We believe that the best place for a child is with their family, if their family can get healthy and stable. While adoptions do happen occasionally, our main priority is for kids to end up back in their family. We are thrilled to say that in July we celebrated 10 youth returning to their families!
*These names were were changed for privacy reasons.
While we love the pictures that come with an adoption celebration, we want to celebrate family reunifications just as much! There is no better example of Goshen Homes living out its mission than the above 4 families coming back together!
Not only were all of these sibling groups placed together during their time in care (another key component of Goshen Homes' mission), they are leaving foster care returning to healthy families!
Help Goshen Homes Cover the Gap!
Goshen Valley receives the majority of our funding from Georgia DFCS. We receive a certain amount for each day a child is in our care. Thanks to your generosity, Goshen is in a strong enough place financially to push for reunifications without hesitation. You have allowed us to always pursue the best possible outcome for each child regardless of the financial implication.
Your support today will ensure that Goshen stays in this place of strength, always knowing that we can put the needs of our kids first.
Donate to help restore families.
Thank you for making reunifications like these possible..
Our team is thankful for you, but I know there are 4 families who are even more grateful.
-Your Goshen Family
P.S: We have some amazing foster parents who stand in the gap to love these children during their time in foster care. We need more people who are interested in providing a loving home to sibling groups.
If you'd like to learn more about fostering, download our fostering guide at Goshenvalley.org/homes
Brasfield & Gorrie selects Goshen Valley as Nonprofit Partner of the Year
Brasfield & Gorrie selects Goshen Valley as Nonprofit Partner for their 2021-2022 Fall Fundraiser
After a month-long process which began with 13 nonprofit applicants, Brasfield & Gorrie has selected Goshen Valley to be their partner for their 2021 and 2022 fall fundraisers. This event and partnership have historically raised around $250,000 per year to support the chosen nonprofit’s mission.
As of 2019, Goshen launched a new program to target root cause issues surrounding foster care, providing mental health and therapy services to families at risk of experiencing a foster care placement in the future. This funding will allow Goshen Valley to scale this program and serve far more vulnerable families. 
Zach Blend, CEO of Goshen Valley, says, “This is an exciting time in the life of Goshen Valley. As our direct care work with Georgia’s foster children enters its 23rd year, we are equally excited about the positive influence we can also have through serving at-risk families preventively. The support raised by Brasfield & Gorrie and their subcontractors will fund the progression of Goshen Therapeutic Services throughout the state’s northwest region. Our intention is to continue to serve foster children within our three operating agencies to the very best of our ability while being mindful of the root cause matters that create the need for such services. Easy access to therapy, family counseling and other support services is the first step in that process.”
This year Brasfield & Gorrie instituted a new process to select their nonprofit partner of the year. Thirteen non-profits were invited to complete an application, and five were selected to present to a leadership committee. The group was then narrowed down to three, and an employee vote determined the winner. Goshen Valley received 53% of the employee votes in this process.
“In addition to the financial support our employees and trade contractors will provide, we will participate in service days on Goshen’s Ranch campus. We love getting our hands dirty,” said Brent Perkins, director of personal development at Brasfield & Gorrie. Perkins led the selection committee.
“At Brasfield & Gorrie we believe in building strong communities. We love being a blessing to others. Goshen’s work with boys in the foster care system, the therapeutic services offered to families, and their increasing focus on root cause education for families all line up with our values. We are excited to be a partner with Goshen Valley!” - Brent Perkins
Zach Blend compared residential foster care to running a construction business, but one where you can only build on the site of a previous catastrophe. “We do great work in residential care, but we also want to focus on root-cause. We want to stabilize families before the building collapses. This funding will allow us to expand our work in ways that will keep families strong before a foster care placement occurs. We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of Brasfield & Gorrie, and we are confident that many families will be strengthened and rescued as a direct result of this partnership.”
About Brasfield & Gorrie
Founded in 1964, Brasfield & Gorrie is one of the nation’s largest privately held construction firms, providing general contracting, design-build, and construction management services for a wide variety of markets. We are skilled in construction best practices, including virtual design and construction, integrated project delivery, and Lean construction, but we are best known for our preconstruction and self-perform expertise and exceptional client service. Brasfield & Gorrie has 12 offices and more than 3,200 employees. Our 2020 revenues were $3.9 billion. Engineering News-Record ranks Brasfield & Gorrie 22nd among the nation’s “Top 400 Contractors” for 2020. Brasfield & Gorrie is ENR Southeast's 2021 Contractor of the Year.
An Essay by GNB Youth, Quintavious Jennings
Your past Does Not Determine Who You Are
All I could remember was seeing the sun slowly creeping through the clouds as the officers put the handcuffs on me and escorted me to the back of the police car. I did not understand it then but being arrested and charged with several accounts would save my life. Life is full of experiences that will teach you lessons that you can either learn from or overlook. I chose to learn from every experience after this defining moment in my life. After that night, walking through doors took on a new meaning in my life and there are 3 doors that have made the biggest impact in my life: the Courthouse, the Regional Youth Detention Center and Goshen New Beginnings.
The first door that I entered that made a big impact on my life was the door to the County Courthouse in November 2014. As a thirteen-year-old, African American young man, just the idea of facing a judge with such serious charges is terrifying. Yet, four months after being charged, I had to appear in court and meet face to face with a judge, as she would be the one to give me my official sentencing. I walked to the podium and looked up at her. She stopped, stared into my eyes and said,
“You are too young, and it is not too late for you to turn your life around, but you have to want it. I can’t want it more than you.”
She reduced my sentence and added a stipulation that with good behavior I could be released early to a program into the community. After that moment, I decided to change and break the cycle of my family going in and out of jail.
The second door that I had to walk through that had a major influence on my life was the Regional Youth Detention Center. From the moment I walked into the RYDC, I realized that I never wanted to come back to a place like that. I saw young men get into fights and get beat up. Everything at the RYDC reminded me of what I wanted to get away from; gangs, fights, criminal activity, and pain. After being at the RYDC for three years, I finished my sentencing and was given the chance to go to a program that would help me achieve my goals. I went to a few programs, but it was not until I went to Goshen that I felt a true sense of family and acceptance.
In July 2019, I entered through the third door that has helped shape me into the young man I am today, though I am still growing and evolving. Goshen New Beginnings is an independent living program that supports youth like me. I needed someone to believe in me and see past my story. I needed a group of people to believe in my dreams. I needed people that saw my pain but would help me work through the pain and not give up on me. I am so blessed to have found a community that has accepted me and is providing me with the tools I need to become better. I want to do better because I know that, typically people with my story end up back in jail or dead, and that will not be my ending.
Six years ago, the chapters to my story were ugly and sad, but today I can proudly say that my past will not determine who I am or where I am headed. I have spent countless nights praying and asking God to help me turn my life around and show me the correct path to take. God has surrounded me with people who care about me, but I have learned that I need to do the work - for my past not to determine my future. My thought process, goals, and decision- making need to change, because it all starts with me, and I am worth it. Life is full of doors, and I will continue to open doors to new opportunities, happiness, and a story full of change, grace and second chances.
A letter from our CEO...
In a follow up to his father's letter to you all, our CEO, Zach Blend, took some time to thank you and to give you an update on where we are and where we are going.
Would you consider an end of year gift to support the foster youth of Goshen Valley?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Friends,
As we look forward to the new year, I consider it an honor to update you on the progress being made within Goshen Valley. A wise man once said, “if it was easy, everyone would do it.” We have an amazing team on the front lines caring for children and families, but I would be remiss if I didn't also thank our donors and community partners who have made our work to date possible. All of you are the reason that Goshen has been able to not only survive, but grow and thrive through 20 years of changing seasons.
In 2019 we celebrated our 20 year of ministry to children. Much has changed since 1999, but what has stayed consistent is the unwavering support of those who know of our work. In recent years, I feel as if we have done an admirable job at putting resources to work the right way, whether it be in our ministries that are evolving such as Goshen Valley Boys Ranch or our ministries that are emerging such as Goshen Therapeutic Services. Some important highlights and outcomes for each of our programs in 2019 include:
Goshen Valley Boys Ranch: We have completed the construction of the Goshen Community Wellness Center that includes 12,000 square feet of classroom, staff training, clinic and gymnasium space. The significance of this facility cannot be understated. We have new found capacity to serve our boys and our staff in ways not previously capable.
Goshen New Beginnings: In May we congratulated 9 high school graduates, setting a mark locally and nationally. 7 of those young people are now enrolled in college.
Goshen Homes: We now serve nearly 40 children; all of whom are siblings that were at risk of experiencing separation absent the care of our foster families. We have families located in Cherokee, Cobb and Pickens County.
Goshen Therapeutic Services: We have a new opportunity to work both with birth families impacted by foster care, and also to preventatively help at-risk families be strengthened before losing their children. We were awarded the state contracts to provide these services in August, and we look forward to a wider launch in 2020.
We understand that now is not the time to rest on our laurels. Now is the time to seek ways to create better outcomes for our youth in residential care while starting to offer family-preservation services. I am confident that we are ready to do both with the high standard that Goshen has become known for, but we can only continue to do them with your help.
We are well positioned to truly shape both child welfare and community mental health in the state of Georgia in the years ahead, but we cannot do it without you. As you consider your end-of-year giving, I ask that you remember Goshen Valley. The well-being of our children and the future of local families hangs in the balance, and we hope you will answer the call as part of our Goshen Family.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year,
Zach Blend
Chief Executive Officer Goshen Valley Foundation
A Letter from our Founder...
With the end of the year approaching and our need for giving growing with the holidays, our founder, John Blend, sent a letter to our donors. We wanted to share it with you, our Goshen Family.
____________________________________________________________________
Friends,
I was raised a Lutheran. Sunday School, acolyte, Boy Scout, Little League, Luther League, on to a Lutheran college. My dad took the same train every day, my mom was at home. I was in the inaugural Baby Boomer batch.
In 1966, the summer of my sophomore year in college, I studied Latin American literature at the National University of Mexico, in Mexico City, DF. When not in class, I worked in a jewelry factory near the University. Over the summer, I volunteered at a Catholic orphanage in the suburbs of Mexico City. The orphans were “thalidomide babies”, born with no arms. I brought broken jewelry from the factory to the orphanage and the kids were paid to restring the broken necklaces with their feet and toes. When I came back to the States that fall, I would try to send the Mother Superior $20 when I could.
Thus came the seeds of Goshen Valley.
Twenty years ago, having spent the years prior riding horses and teaching my daughter to drive our old Jeep, God woke the seeds brought from the hills of Mexico City, and led the Blends to welcoming hurting kids and servant families to Goshen Valley. We established the Goshen Valley Foundation in 1998, and gifted Goshen Valley back to Christ.
Over these past 2 decades, the Goshen Family has listened, learned, and executed. A dear preacher friend observed some years ago that he preferred if Goshen would pray, not plan, as the story has already been written. There’s wisdom there.
So, what is in store for Goshen? If the past is the prelude, we will continue to serve. Our community will continue to sacrifice at our side and on our behalf. We will hope that our Father is pleased with the sanctuary He has given us.
In a coming note, Zach will share more about where Goshen is heading in the future. For now, I want to thank you for your role in the past 20 years of Goshen. We believe God has made the world a more welcoming place for the youth who have called Goshen Valley home, and for that, we thank you.
With love and much gratitude,
John Blend
Goshen hosts 7th annual Cherokee Child Welfare Luncheon presented by Northside Hospital Cherokee
Goshen hosts the 7th annual Cherokee Child Welfare Luncheon presented by Northside Hospital Cherokee.
On Thursday Sept 19, over 275 community leaders in child welfare came together for the 7th annual Cherokee Child Welfare Luncheon, presented by Northside Hospital-Cherokee. This year’s event was headlined by Tom Rawlings, state director of DFCS, and we were also joined by Miss Georgia 2019 Victoria Hill.
Ike Reighard of Must Ministries opened the day with a prayer and an update on Must’s recent State of Hope grant. They were awarded these funds in an effort to service families preventatively, with the aim of fewer youth entering in to foster care.
Victoria Hill, Miss Georgia 2019, shared her passion for assisting girls in foster care, and told those in attendance how she plans to use her platform this year to help foster youth. Victoria then sang “A Horse with Wings,” a song she says could have been written from the perspective of a child in foster care. Victoria will be competing in the Miss America pageant on December 19th.
Zach Blend, CEO of Goshen Valley, then shared an update on Goshen Valley. He shared that Goshen has launched our fourth agency; Goshen Therapeutic Services. This agency is designed to strengthen and restore families through licensed, comprehensive therapeutic services. The aim of this program is to provide services both to families who have already lost their children to foster care, and also strengthen those at risk of losing their children. Zach also gave an update on the Goshen Community Wellness Center, set to open in November on site at Goshen Valley Boys Ranch, and shared the story of the 9 high school graduates from Goshen Valley in May 2019.
Brooke Ford, Director of Cherokee County DFCS, provided an update on our local DFCS office. Brooke shared that their after hours team is fully staffed, they have hired 18 new case managers this year, and that employee retention is an important focus for their team. Brooke also shared a video of their employees sharing stories of why they choose to live, work, and play in Cherokee County.
Tom Rawlings, State Director of the Division of Family and Children Services, shared about his work and priorities as the head of DFCS. He said his main goal in office is to improve the support of the frontline workers. He wants frontline DFCS workers to be seen as heroes in the same light as nurses, firefighters, teachers, and other professions are in the eyes of the community. He stated that this change will reduce turnover and improve safety and outcomes for the youth served by DFCS.
This year, 2 Goshen Spirit Awards were given to community leaders who have gone above and beyond to serve the vulnerable children of our community. The first was given to Deidre Hollands, former leader of Cherokee County CASA. Deidre served for 19 years and founded CASA in Cherokee County. She led the campaign to build the Children’s Haven visitation center across from Cherokee High School that serves to reunite and restore families. The second award went to Ronnie Reece who this year retired from a full career working security in the Cherokee County Court. Ronnie is a much-beloved member of our community who is highly deserving of this award.
The program concluded with all in attendance reciting Our Cherokee Commitment, a pledge recited at the event each year. Goshen Valley would like to thank all who attended and made this event such a success. More pictures from the event can be found on Goshen Valley’s Facebook page.